Advice for the Muslim

martyrs do not rot, either. Al-Imâm al-Qurtubî said that the bodies
of believers who were patient during troubles and sufferings and
those of the pious who followed Islamic rules did not rot. The body
that has not sinned does not rot. The bodies of the ’ulamâ’ who
practise their knowledge, those of hâfizes and muezzins [who do
not commit sins or bid’a] and those of awliyâ’ (qaddas-Allâhu
ta’âlâ asrârahumu ’l-’azîz) do not rot. Even more, the earth does
not affect their shrouds. Others’ bodies rot. A hadîth sharîf says,
‘Earth rots the body of every dead person. Only the bone called
coccyx does not rot.’
“Our religion does not openly describe how the soul is. The
soul is neither a substance nor an attribute but, unlike substances,
it exists without needing any matter. After man dies, his soul does
not become non-existent. It exists needing no matter. It possesses
perception and comprehension. It is not openly reported where
the soul goes. In the commentary to Jawhara, Ibrâhîm al-Lâqânî
wrote various narrations. Al-Imâm as-Suyûtî, in his work Sharh
as-sudûr, and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya said that the souls of
rebels (shaqî), that is, unbelievers and sinners, are in torture while
the souls of the happy (sa’îd), that is, believers and the pious, are
in blessings and pleasures. The Jews’ souls come together with
other Jewish souls. [The souls of Christians, the lâ-madhhabî and
unbelievers without a holy book reside with one another.] The
place where the souls are tortured is called Sijjîn. The place of
blessings and pleasures is called ’Illiyyîn. The highest rank at
’Illiyîn is called Mala al-’a’lâ. Our master Rasûlullâh said as his
last statement, ‘Oh my Rabb! Forgive me! Show mercy to me!
Make me attain to Rafîq al-a’lâ,’ which is the place of prophets.
Their ranks, too, are different. On the night of Mi’râj, our Prophet
(sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) saw ’Âdam (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
in the first sky, ’Îsâ and Yahyâ (’alaihima ’s-salâm) in the second
sky, Yûsuf (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the third sky, Idrîs (’alaihi ’ssalâm)
in the fourth sky, Hârûn (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the fifth sky,
Mûsâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the sixth sky and Ibrâhîm (’alaihi ’ssalâm)
in the seventh sky. The souls of the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna
are near those of prophets (’alaihimu ’s-salawâtu wa ’t-taslîmât).
A hadîth sharîf says, ‘Martyrs’ souls are at the ’Arsh al-ilâhî.
Whenever they want, they go to the places they wish in Paradise,
and then they return to their dwellings.’ Morning and evening, or
day and night, do not exist in the life of the next world. Paradise
is nûrânî (glorious; formed of the Glory of Allâhu ta’âlâ). Some
martyrs do not enter Paradise but remain under the green domes
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